Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	earth_n	fire_n	hot_a	4,098	5	8.2516	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A32749	The works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts, and several things added, never before in print : to which is adjoyn'd The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate ... : together with The life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death : also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words ... that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding of their original.; Works. 1687	Chaucer, Geoffrey, d. 1400.; Speght, Thomas, fl. 1600.; Lydgate, John, 1370?-1451? Siege of Thebes.	1687 (1687)	Wing C3736; ESTC R3920	1,295,535	731

his desires in seruice of thilke knot and a shrewe to be weined and they been not knowen in generall but by lacking and praysing and in renome and so by the consequence it followeth a shrew been praysed and knit and a good to be forsake and vnknit Ah qd I tho haue ye lady ben here abouten yet wold I see by grace of our arguments better declared how good and bad do accorden by lacking and praysing me thinketh it ayenst kind Nay qd she that shalte thou see as yerne these elements han contrarious qualities in kinde by whych they mow not accord no more than good and bad and in qualities they accorde * So that contraries by quality accorden by quality Is not yearth dry and water that is next between the earth is wete dry wete ben contrary and mowen not accorde and yet this discordaunce is bounde to accorde by clouds for both elements ben cold Right so the eyre that is next the water is wete and eke it is hote This eyre by his heat contrarieth water that is cold but thilke contrariously is oned by moysture for both bee they moist Also the fire that is next the yearth and it encloseth all about is dry wherethrough it contrarieth eyre that is wete and in he●e they accord for both they been hote Thus by these accordaunces discordaunts been joyned and in a manner of accordaunce they accorden by connection that is knitting togider of that accord commeth a manner of melody that is right noble Right so good and bad arne contrary in doings by lacking and praysing good is both lacked and praysed of some and badde is both lacked and praysed of some wherefore they contrariously accorde both by lacking and praysing Then followeth it though good be neuer so mokell praysed oweth more to ben knit than the bad or els bad for the renome that he hath must be taken as well as the good and that oweth not No forsooth qd I. Well qd she then is renome no way to y● knot lo foole qd she how clerkes writen of such glory of renoume * O glory glory thou art none other thing to thousands of folke but a great sweller of eares Many one hath had full great renome by false opinion of variaunt people And what is fouler than folke wrongfully to beene praysed or by mallice of y● people guiltlesse lacked Needes shame followeth thereof to hem y● with wrong prayseth also to the deserts praised and villany and reproofe of him that disclaundreth Good child qd she what echeth such renome to the conscience of a wise man y● looketh measureth his goodnes not by sleuelesse words of the people but by soothfastnesse of conscience by God nothing And if it be faire a mans name be eched by much folkes praysing fouler thing y● mo folke not praysen I said to thee a little here beforn that no folke in straunge countries nought praysen suche renoume maye not commen to their eares because of vnknowing other obstacles as I sayed Wherefore more folke not praysen and that is right foule to him y● renome desireth to wete lesse folk praysen than renome enhaunce * I trow the thank of a people is naught worth in remembraunce to take ne it proceedeth of no wise judgement neuer is it stedfast perdurable It is veine sleyng with winde wasteth and encreaseth Truly such glory ought to be hated If gentillesse be a cleare thyng renome glorye to enhaunce as in reckening of thy linage than is gentillesse of thy kinne for why it seemeth that gentillesse of thy kinne is but praysing renome that come of thyne auncestres deserts if so be that praysing renome of their deserts make their clear gentilesse then mote they needs been gentil for their gentle deeds not thou for of thy self commeth not such manner gentillesse praysing of thy deserts * Then gentillesse of thyne auncesters that forrain is to thee maketh thee not gentle but vngentle and reprooued if thou continuest not their gentillesse * And therefore a wise man ones said Better is it thy kin to ben by thee gentled than thou to glorifie of thy kins gentillesse hast no desert thereof thy self How passing is the beauty of fleshly bodies More flittyng than mouable flours of Summer And if thine eyen weren as good as the Linx that may seen thorow many stone wals and both faire foule in their entrailes of no manner hewe should appear to thy sight that were a foule sight Then is fairnesse by feeblesse of eyen but of no kind wherefore thilke should be no way to the knot When thilke is went the knot wendeth after Lo now at all prooues none of all these thyngs mowe parfitly ben in vnderstanding to beene way to the duryng blisse of the knot But now to conclusion of these matters herkeneth these words Very summer is know from the winter in shorter course draweth the dayes of December than in the moneth of Iune The springs of May faden followen in October These thynges be not vnbounden from their old kind they haue not lost her work of their proper estate Men of voluntarious will withsit that heuens gouerneth Other things suffren thinges patiently to werche * Man in with estate he be yet would he ben chaunged Thus by queint thyngs blisse is desired and the fruit that commeth of these springs nis but anguis and bitter although it be a whyle sweet it may not be withhold hastely they depart * Thus all day fayleth things that fooles wend. Right thus hast thou fayled in thy first wening He that thinketh to sayle draw after the course of that starre de Polo Antartico shall he neuer come Northward to the contrary sterre of Polus Articus of whyche things if thou take keepe thy first outwaye going prison and exile may be cleaped The ground falsed vnderneath and so haste thou fayled No wight I wene blameth hym that stinteth in misgoyng and seecheth ready way of his blisse Now me thinketh qd she that it sufficeth in my shewing the wayes by dignity richesse renome and power if thou looke clearely arne no wayes to the knot EVery argument lady qd I tho that ye han maked in these fore nempned matters mee thinketh hem in my full witte conceiued shall I no more if God wil in the contrary be beguyled But fayne would I and it were your will blisse of the knot to me were declared I might feele the better howe my hearte myght assent to pursue the end in seruice as he hath begon O qd she there is a melody in heuen whych clerks cleapen armony but that is not in breaking of voyce but it is a manner sweet thyng of kindly werching that causeth ioy out of nomber to recken and that is joined by reason and by wisedome in a quantity of proportion of knitting God made all thyng in reason in witte of proportion of melody we mow not suffice to shew It is written by

for suspection Of mennes spech euer had this Chanon * For Cato saieth he that gilty is Demeth all thing be spoken of him iwis Because of that he gan so nigh to draw To this yeman to herken all his sawe And thus he said vnto his yeman tho Hold now thy peace speake no words mo For if thou do thou shalt it sore abie Thou slaundrest me here in this companie And eke discouerest that thou shouldest hide Ye qd our host tell on whatsoeuer betide Of all this threting recke thee not a mite In faith qd he no more do I but lite And when this Chanon saw it would not be But this yeman would tell his priuite He fled away for very sorow and shame A qd the yemon here shall rise a game All that I can anon woll I you tell Sens he is gon the foule tende him quell For neuer hereafter woll I with him mete For peny ne for pound I you behete He that me brought first unto that game Er that he die sorow haue he and shame For it is ernest to me by my faith That fele I well what so any man saith And yet for all my smert and all my greue For all my sorow labour and mischiefe I couth neuer leaue it in no wise Now would to God my wit might suffice To tellen all that longeth to that art But nathelesse yet woll I tell you a part Sens that my lord is gon I woll not spare Such thing as I know I woll declare ¶ The Thanons yeomans Tale. A Priest of London more covetous than wise is deceived by a Chanon professing the Art of Alchimy WIth this Chanon I dwelt seuen yere And of his science I am neuer the nere All that I had I haue lost thereby And God wot so hath many mo than I. There I was wont to be right fresh and gay Of clothing and eke of other good aray * Now may I weare an hose vpon mine hedde And where my colour was both fresh redde Now is it wanne and of a leaden hew Who so it vseth sore shall him rue * And of my swinke yet blered is mine eye Lo which auantage it is to multiplie That sliding science hath me made so bare That I haue no good where that euer I fare And yet I amendetted so thereby Of Gold that I haue borowed truly That while I liue I shall it quite neuer Let euery man beware by me euer What maner man that casteth him thereto If he continue I hold his thrift ido * So help me God thereby shall he neuer win But empte his purse make his wits thin And when he through his madnesse and folie Hath lost his own good through ieopardie Than he exiteth other men thereto To lese her good as himselfe hath do * For vnto shrewes ioy it is and ese To haue her felawes in pain and disese For thus was I once lerned of a clerke Of that no charge I woll speak of our werke When we be there as we shall exercise Our eluish craft we semen wonder wise Our termes been so clergiall and so quaint I blow the fire till my hert faint What should I tell eche proportion Of things which that we werchen vpon As on fiue or sixe ounces may well be Of siluer or of some other quantite And besie me to tellen you the names Of Orpiment brent bones yron squames That into pouder grounden been full small And in an earthen pot how put is all And salt iput in and also papere Before these pouders that I speake of here And wel icouered with a lampe of glas And of much other thing that there was And of the pottes and glas engluting That of the aire might passe out nothing And of the elle fire and smart also Which that was made of the care and wo That we had in our matters subliming And in amalgaming and calsening Of quicke siluer icleped Mercurie crude For all our flight we cannot conclude Our Orpiment and sublimed Mercurie Our ground litarge eke on porphirie Of each of these ounces a certaine Not helpeth us our labour is in vaine Ne eke our spirites assentioun Ne our matters that lien all fire adoun Mowe in our werking nothing auaile For lost is all our labour and our trauaile * And all the cost a twentie deuil way Is lost also which we vpon it lay There is also full many another thing That is to our craft appertaining Though I by order hem ne rehearce can Because that I am a leude man Yet wol I tellen hem as they come to minde Though I ne can set hem in her kinde As Bole Armoniake Verdegrece Borace And sundry vessels made of earth and glas Our vrinals and our discensories Viols crossettes and sublimatories Concurbites and alembekes eke And other such deare inough of a Leke It nedeth not to rehearce hem all Waters ●ubisiyng and Boles gall Arsneke sal Armoniake and Brimstone And herbes cold I tell eke many one As Egremonie Valerian and Lunarie And other such if that me list to tarie Our lamps eke brenning both night day To bring abo●● our craft if that we may Our fournice eke of calcination And of waters albification Vns●eked lime chalke and gleire of an eye Pounders diuers ashes doung pisse cleie Sered pokettes salt Peter and Vitriole And diuers fires made of wood and cole Sal Tartre Alcaly and Sal preparate And combust matters and coagulate Cley made with horse dung mans here oile Of tartre alim glas berme wort argoile Resagor and other matters enbibing And eke of our matters encorporing And of our siluer citrination Our sementing and eke fermentation Our yngottes testes and many things mo I woll you tell as was me taught also The foure spirits and the bodies seuen By order as oft I heard my lord nemen The first spirit Quickesiluer cleped is The second Orpiment the third iwis Sal Armoniake the fourth Brimstone The bodies seuen eke lo here hem anone Sol gold is and Luna siluer we threpe Mars yron Mercurie quicke siluer we clepe Saturnus leade and Iupiter is tinne And Venus coper by my father kinne This cursed craft who so woll exercise He shall no good haue that may him suffice For all the good he spendeth thereabout He lese shall thereof haue I no doubt Who so that listen to vtter his foly Let him come forth and learne to multiplie And euery man that hath ought in his cofer Let him appere and wex a Philosopher Askaunce that craft is so light for to lere Nay nay God wot all be he Monke or Frere Priest or Chanon or any other wight Though he sit at his booke both day night In learning of this eluish nice lore All is in vaine and parde much more Is to lere a leude man this subtilte Fie speke not thereof it woll not be All could he lettcure or could he none As in effect he shall finde it all one For

bauds and waferers Which that been verely the deuils officers To kindle and blow the fire of letcherie That is annexed vnto glotonie The holy writ take I to my witnesse That letchery is in wine and dronkennesse Lo how that dronken Loth vnkindly Lay by his daughters two vnwittingly So dronke he was he nist what he wrought And therefore sore repenten him ought Herodes who so woll the stories seche There may ye learne by ensample teche When he of wine was replete at his feast Right at his owne table yaue his hest To sleen Iohan the Baptist full guiltlesse Seneke saith eke good words doubtlesse He saith he can no difference find * Betwixt a man that is out of his mind And a man the which is dronkelew But that woodnesse fallen in a shrew Perseuereth lenger than doth dronkennesse O glotenie full of cursednesse O cause first of our confusion O originall of our damnation Til Christ had bouȝt vs with his blood again Lo how dere shortly for to sain Bought was first this cursed villanie Corrupt was all this world throgh glotenie Adam our fornfather and his wife also Fro Paradice to labour and to wo Were driven for that vice it is no drede For whiles that Adam fasted as I rede He was in Paradise and when that hee Eat of the fruit defended on the tree Anon he was out cast to wo and paine O glotenie on thee well ought vs to plaine * Oh wist a man how many maladies Followeth of excesse and of glotenies He would been the more measurable Of his diete sitting at his table Alas the short throat the tender mouth Maketh that East West North South In earth in aire in water men to swinke To getten a glutton deinte meat and drinke Of this matter O Paul wel canst thou treat * Meat vnto wombe wombe eke vnto meat Shall God destroien both as Paule saith Alas a foule thing it is by my faith To say this word and fouler is the dede When men so drinketh of the white and rede That of his throte he maketh his priue Through thilke cursed superfluite The Apostle saieth weeping full pitously There walken many of which told haue I I say it now weeping with pitous voice They been enemies of Christs croice Of which the end is death womb is her God O belly O wombe O stinking cod Fulfilled of dong and corruptioun At either end of thee foule is the soun How great cost and labour is there to find These cookes Lord how they stamp strein grind And turne substance into accident To fulfill all thy likerous talent Out of the hard bones knocken they The mary for they cast it not away That may go through the gullet soft sote Of spicerie of leaves barke and rote Shall been his sauce ymade by delite To maken hem have a newer appetite * But certes he that haunteth such delices Is dead whiles that he liveth in the vices * A lecherous thing is wine dronkennes It is full of striving and of wretchednes Oh dronken man disfigured in thy face Soure is thy breath foul art thou to enbrace And through thy dronken nose souneth y● soun As tho thou saidest aie Sampson Sampsoun And yet God wot Sampson dronk never wine Thou fallest as it were a sticked swine Thy tongue is lost and all thine honest cure * For drunkennesse is very sepulture Of mans wit and his discretion * In whom that drinke hath domination He can no counsaile keepe it is no drede Now kepe you fro the white fro the rede And namely fro the White wine of Lepe That is to sell in Fishstreet and in Chepe This wine of Spaine creepeth subtilly And so do other wines growing fast by Of which riseth such fumositee That when a man hath dronk draughts three And weneth that he be at home in Chepe He is in Spaine right at the toune of Lepe Nought at Rochell ne at Burdeaux toun And then woll he say Sampsoun Sampsoun But herkeneth lordings o word I you pray That all the soveraigne acts dare I say Of victories in the old Testament That through very God that is omnipotent Were doen in abstinence and in prayere Looketh the Bible and there ye mow it lere Looketh Attila the great conquerour Died in his sleepe with shame dishonour Bleeding aye at his nose in drunkennesse A captaine should liue in sobernesse And over all this auise you right well What was commaunded unto Lamuel Not Samuell but Lamuel say I. Redeth the Bible and find it expresly Of wine yeuing to hem that haue justice No more of this for it may well suffice And now that I have spoke of glotonie Now woll I defend you hasardrie Hasard is very mother of lesings And of deceit and cursed forswearings Blaspheme of Christ manslauȝter wast also Of cattel of time and of other mo * It is repreue and contrary to honour For to be holden a common hasardour And ever the higher that he is of estate The more he is holden desolate If that a Prince shall use hasardrie In his gouernaunce and pollicie He is as by common opinion Hold the lesse in reputation Stillebon that was hold a wise embassadour Was sent to Corinth with full great honour Fro Calidone to maken hem alliaunce And when he came there happed this chaunce That all the greatest that were of the lond Playing at hasard he hem yfond For which as soone as it might be He stale him home ayen to his countre And saied There woll I not lese my name I nill not take on me so great defame For to allie you to none hasardours Sendeth other wiser embassadours For by my trouth me were leuer die Than I should you to hasardours alie For ye that been so glorious in honours Shall not alie you with hasardours As by my will ne by my treatie This wise Philosopher thus saied he Looke eke how to king Demetrius The king of Parthes as the booke saieth vs Sent him a paire of dice of gold in scorne For he had vsed hasardrie there biforne For which he held his glory and his renoun At no value or reputatioun * Lords might find other manner play Honest ynough to driue the day away Now wol I speake of othes false great A word or two as other bookes entreat * Great swearing is thing abhominable And false swearing is yet more reprouable The high God forbad swearing at all Witnesse of Mathew but in speciall Of swearing saieth the holy Ieremie * Thou shalt sweare sooth thine othes not lie And sweare in dome eke in rightwysnes But idle swearing is a cursednesse Behold and see that in the first table Of high Gods hestes that ben honourable How that the second hest of him is this Take not my name in idlenesse amis Lo he rather forbiddeth such swearing Than homicide or any other cursed thing I say as thus by order it stondeth This knoweth they that his hests vnderstondeth

where as there is none order or ordinaunce but fearfull drede that ever shall last Lo here may you see that Iob prayed respite a while to bewepe and waile his trespasse For sothely one day of respite is better than all the treasure of this world And for as much as a man may acquite himselfe before god by penitence in this world not by treasure therefore should he pray to God to yeue him respite a while to bewepe waile his trespasse for certes all the sorow that a man might make fro y● beginning of the world nis but a little thing at regarde of the sorrow of hell The cause why that Iob calleth hell the londe of derkenesse understondeth that he calleth it londe or earth for it is stable and never shall faile derke For he that is in hell hath defaute of light materiall for certes the derke light that shall come out of the fire that ever shall brenne shall turn him all to pain the is in hell for it sheweth him to the horrible Diuels that him turmenteth covered with the derkenesse of death that is to say * That hee that is in hell shall have defaut of the sight of God for certes the sight of god is the life perdurable The derknes of death been y● sins that the wretched man hath don which that disturb him to see the face of God right as the derke cloud betwixt us and y● sunne Londe of misese because that there been three maner of defautes ayenst three things that folke of this world have in this present life that is to say honours delices richesse Ayenst honour have they in hell shame and confusion For well ye wote that men call honour the reverence y● man doth to man but in hell is none honour ne reverence For certes no more reverence shal be do there to a king than to a knave For which God sayth by the Prophet Ieremie Those folke that me dispise shal be in dispite Honour is also called great lordeship there shall no wight serve other but of harme and turment Honour is also called great dignitie and highnesse but in hell shall they be all fortroden of divels As God saith the horrible Devils shall goe and come upon the heddes of damned folke and this is for as much as the higher that they were in this present life y● more shall they be abated and defoiled in hell Ayenste the richesse of this world shall they have misese of poverte that shall be in four thinges In defaut of treasure Of which David saith * The rich folk that embrace knit all her hert to treasour of this world shall sleep in the sleeping of death and nothing ne shull they find in her hondes of all her tresour And moreover the misease of hell shall be in defaut of meat and drinke For God sayeth thus by Moyses * They shall bee wasted with hunger and the byrdes of hell shall devour hem with bitter death and the gall of the Dragon shall be her drinke and y● venum of the Dragon her morsels Also her misease shall be in defaut of clothing for they shall be naked in bodie as of clothing saue the fire in which they brenne and other filthes and naked shall they be of soule of all manner vertues which that is the clothing of the soule Where been than the gay robes the soft shetes and the small sherts Lo what sayth God of hem by the Prophet Esaie * That under hem shall bee strewed moughtes and her covertures shall bee of worms of hell Also her misease shall be in defaut of friends for he is not poor the hath good frends but ther is no frend for neither God ne no creature shall be frend to hem and ech of hem shall hate other with deadly hate The sonnes and the doughters shall rebell ayenst father and mother and kinred ayenst kinred chide and dispise each other both day and night as God sayeth by the prophet Micheas * And y● loving children that whilom loved so fleshly ech other would ech of hem eat other if they might * For how should they love together in the paines of hell when they hated eche other in prosperity of this life for trust well her fleshly love was deedly hate As saith y● Prophet David Whoso that loveth wickednesse he hateth his soul and who so hateth his own soul certes he may love none other wight in no maner And therefore in hel is no solace ne no frendship but ever the more kinredes that ben in hell y● more cursinges the more chidinges and the more deadly hate there is among hem Also they shall have defaut of all manner delices for certes delices ben after the appetites of the five wittes As sight hearing smelling favouring and touching But in Hell her sight shall be full of derkenesse and of smoke therefore full of teares and her hearing full of wailing and grinting of teeth As saith Iesu Christ Her nosthrilles shall bee full of stinking And as saith Esay the Prophet Her savouring shall be full of bitter gall as touching of all her bodies icovered with fire that never shall quench and with wormes that never shall die As God sayth by y● mouth of Esay and for as much as they shall not wene that they may die for pain and by death flye fro pain that they may understond in the wordes of Iob that saieth There is the shadow of death Certes a shadow hath likenesse of the thing of which it is shadowed but shadow is not the same thing of which it is shadowed right so fareth the pain of Hell it is like death for the horrible anguish And why For it paineth hem ever as though they shold die anon but certes they shall not die For as saith saint Greg. * To wretched caitiffes shall be death without death and end without end and defaut without fayling for her death shall alway live and her end shall ever more begin and her defaut shall not faile And therefore sayth saint Iohn the Evangelist * They shall follow death they shall not find him and they shall desire to die and death shall flie from hem And also Iob saith That in hell is no order or rule And all be it so y● God hath create all thing in right order and nothing without order but all things been ordred and numbred yet nathelesse they that been dampned been nothing in order ne hold none order for the earth ne shall bere hem no fruit For as the Prophet David sayth God shall destroy the fruit of the earth as for hem ne water ne shall yeve hem no moisture ne the ayre no refreshing ne fire no light For as saith saint Basilie * The brenning of y● fire of this world shall God yeve in hell to hem that been dampned but the light and the clearnesse shall he yeve in Heaven to his children right as good men yeve flesh to her children and

that ebbeth and floweth and somtime the streme is on o side and somtime on that other Text. She cruell Fortune casseth adown kings that whylome weren ydrade and she deceiuable enhaunseth vp the humble there of him that is discomfited ne she neither heareth ne recketh of wretched weepings And she is so hard that she laugheth and scorneth the weeping of hem the which she hath maked to weep with her free will Thus she playeth thus she proueth her strengths and sheweth a great wonder to all her seruants if that a wight is seen welefull and ouerthrowne in an houre Vellem autem pauca tecum Fortunae ipsius verbis agitare Tu igitur an jus postulet animadverte P. Quid tu ô homo ream me agis quotidianis querelis c. CErtes I would pleaden with thee a few things vsing the words of Fortune take heed nowe thy self if that she ask right O thou man wherefore makest thou me giltie by thine euery dayes plainings What wrong haue I done thee with goods haue I beraft thee that were thine Striue or plete with me before what judge that thou wilt of the possession of richesses or of dignities and if thou maiest shewen me that euer any mortall manne hath receyued any of tho things to ben his in proper then will I grant freely that thilk things were thine which that thou askest When that nature brought thee forth out of thy mothers womb I receiued thee naked and needie of all things and I nourished thee with all my richesses was ready and ententife through my fauour to sustain thee and that maketh thee now impacient ayenst me And I enuironned thee with all haboundance and shining of all goods that been in my right now it liketh me to withdraw mine hond Thou hast had grace as he that hath vsed forraign goods Thou hast no right to plain thee as though thou haddest vtterly forlorn all thy things Why plainest thou then I haue done to thee no wrong richesses honours and such other things ben of my right my seruants known me for her lady they come with me and departen when I wend. I dare well affirm hardly that if tho things of which thou plainest that thou hast forlorn had been thine thou ne hadst not forlorn hem Shall I then be defended only to vse my right Certes it is lefull to the heauen to make clear days and after that to ouercome tho same days with derk nights The year hath eke leaue to apparaile the visage of the earth now with floures and now with fruit and to confound hem sometime with rains and with cold The see hath eke his right to ben somtime caulm and blandishing with smooth water and sometime to be horrible with waues and with tempests But couetise of men that may not be stanched shal it bind me to be stedfast sithen that stedfastnesse is vncouth to my manners Such is my strength and such play I play commonly I turn the whirling wheele with the turning circle I am glad to changen the lowest to the highest the highest to the lowest Worth up if thou wolt so it be by this law that thou ne hold nat that I do thee wrong though thou discend adown when the reason of my play asketh it Wost thou not how Cresus king of Lidians of which king Cyrus was ful sore agast a little beforne that this Cresus was caught of Cyrus ledde to the fire to be brend but that a rain discended from heauen that rescowed him And it is out of mind how that Paulus Consul of Rome when he had taken the king of Perciens weped pitously for the captivitie of the self king What other thing bewaylen the cryings of tragedies but only the deeds of fortune that with an aukward stroke ouertourneth the realmes of great nobley Glose Tragedie is to saine a ditee of a prosperitie for a time that endeth in wretchednesse Lernedest not thou in Grece when thou were young that in the entre or in the seller of Iupiter ther ben couched two tonnes that one is full of good that other is full of harme What right hast thou to plaine if thou hast taken more plentuously of the good side that is to sain of richesse prosperite And what eke if I be not all departed fro thee What eke if my mutabilitie yeueth thee rightful cause of hope to haue yet better things nathelesse dismay thee not in thy thought And thou that art put in the commune realm of all ne desire not to liuen by thine own proper right Si quantas rapidis flatibus incitus Pontus versat arenas Aut quot stellifei is edita noctibus Coelo Sidera fulgent Tantas fundat opes nec retrahat manum pleno copia cornu Humanum miseras haud ideo genus cesset flere querelas c. THough plentie goddesse of riches hylde a downe with a full horne and withdrawe not her hand as many richesse as the see tourneth upward sands when it is moued with rauishing blasts or els as many richesses as there shinen bright sters in the heauen on the sterrie nights yet for all that mankinde nolde not cease to weepe wretched plaints And all be it so that God receyued her prayers and yeueth hem as full large much gold and apparaileth couetous folke with noble or clere honors yet seemeth him haue gotten nothing But alway cruel rauine deuouring all that they haue gotten sheweth other gapings that is to say gapen and desiren yet after mo richesses What bridles might withholden to any certaine end the disordinant couetie of men when euer the rather that it fleteth in large yefts the more brenneth in hem the lust of hauing Certes * He that quaking and dredefull weneth himselfe needy he ne liueth neuermore rich His igitur si pro se tecum verbis fortuna loqueretur quid profecto contrahisceres non haberes At si quid est quo querelam tuam jure tuearis proferas oportet THerefore if that fortune speak with thee for her self in this manner forsooth thou ne hadst nat what thou mightest answere And if thou hast any thing wherewith thou mayest rightfully defenden thy complaint it behooueth thee to shewen and I woll yeuen to thee space to tellen it Boecius Certainely qd I then these been faire thinges and annoynted with honey sweetnesse of Rhethorike and Musick and only while they been heard and sowne in eares they been delicious But to wretches it is a deeper felyng of harme this is to sayne that wretches feelen the harmes that they suffer more greeuously than the remedies or the delights of these words may gladden or conforten hem So that when these thinges stinten for to sown in eares that sorrow that is inset greueth the thought P. Right so it doth qd she For these ne been yet no remedies of the maladie but they been a manner nourishing of thy sorrowes that rebell ayenst thy curacion For when time is I shall moue and

not the stedfastnesse of Noe y● eating of the grape became dronke Thou passeth not the chastity of Lothe that lay by his doughter Eke the nobly of Abraham whom God reproued by his pryde Also Dauids meeknesse which for a woman made Vry be slaw What also Hector of Troy in whom no defaut might be found yet is he reproued that he ne had with manhood not suffred the warre begon ne Paris to haue went into Grece by whom gan all the sorow for * truly him lacketh no venime of priuy consenting which y● openly leaueth a wrong to withsay Lo eke an old prouerbe among many other * He that is still seemeth as he graunted Now by these ensamples thou might fully vnderstand that these things been writ to your learning in rightwisenes of tho persones as thus To euery wight his default committed made goodnesse afterwards done be the more in reuerence and in open shewing for ensample is it not songe in holy church Lo how necessary was Adams sin Dauid the king gat Salomon the king of her that was Vries wife Truly for reproof is none of these things writte Right so tho I rehearse thy before deed I repreue thee neuer the more ne for no villany of thee are they rehearsed but for worship so thou continue well hereafter and for profite of thy self I rede thou on hem thinke Then saied I right thus Lady of unity and accorde enuy wrath lurken there thou commest in place ye weten well your selue so done many other y● while I administred the office of common doing as in ruling of y● establishments amongs y● people I defouled neuer my conscience for no maner deede but euer by wit by counsaile of the wisest the matters weren drawen to their right endes And thus truly for you Lady I haue desired soch cure certes in your seruice was I not idle as far as soch doing of my cure stretcheth That is a thing qd she that may draw many hertes of noble voice of common into glory and fame is not but wretched and fickle Alas that mankind coueteth in so leud a wise to be rewarded of any good deed sith glory of Fame in this world is not but hindering of glory in time comming And certes qd she yet at y● hardest such fame into heauen is not the yearth but a centre to the cercle of heuen A pricke is wonderful little in respect of all the cercle yet in all this prick may no name be born in manner of persing for many obstacles as waters and wildernesse and straunge languages not onely names of men ben stilled holden out of knowledging by these obstacles but also cities and realms of prosperity ben letted to be know and their reason hindred so that they mowe not ben perfitely in mens proper vnderstanding How should then the name of a singuler Londenoys passe the glorious name of London which by many it is commended and by many it is lacked and in many mo places in earth not knowen then knowen for in many countrees little is London in knowing or in speach and yet among one manner of people may not soch fame in goodnesse come for as many as praisen commonly as many lacken Fie then on soch maner fame sleep and suffre him that knoweth priuity of hertes to deale soch fame in thilke place there nothing ayenst a soth shall neither speake ne dare appere by atturney ne by other maner How many great named many great in worthinesse losed han be tofore this time that now out of memory are slidden cleanly forgetten for defaute of writings yet scriptures for great elde so been defased that no perpetualty may in hem been judged But if thou wolt make comparison to euer with joy mayst thou haue in yearthly name it is a fair likenesse a pees or one grain of Wheat to a thousand ships full of corne charged What nomber is between the one and the other and yet mowe both they be nombred and end in recknyng haue But truely all that may be nombred is nothing to recken as to thilke that may not be nombred for oft things ended is made comparison as one little an other great but in things to haue an end and an other no end soch comparisoun may not be founden Wherefore in heauen to been losed with God hath none end but endles endureth and thou canst nothing doen aright but thou desire the rumour thereof be healed and in euery wightes eare and that dureth but a prick in respect of the other And so thou seekest reward of folks small words and of vain praysings Truly therein thou lesest the guerdon of vertue and lesest the greatest valour of conscience and unhap thy renome euerlasting * Therefore boldly renome of fame of the yearth should be hated fame after death should be desired of werks of vertue asketh guerdoning and the soul causeth all vertue Then y● soul deliuered out of prison of yearth is most worthy soch guerdone among to haue in the euerlasting fame and not the bodye that causeth all mannes yuils OF tway things art thou answered as me thinketh qd Loue and if any thing be in doubt in thy soul shew it forth thine ignoraunce to clear and leaue it for no shame Certes qd I there ne is no body in this world that aught could say by reason ayenst any of your skils as I leue and by my wit now fele I well that euil speakers or bearers of enfame may little greue or let my purpose but rather by soche thing my quarel to be forthered Yea qd she and it is proued also that the like jewel in my keeping shall not there through be stered of the lest moment that might be imagined That is soth qd I. Well qd she then leueth there to declare that thy insuffisaunce is no manner letting as thus for that she is so worthy thou shouldest not climbe so high for thy moebles and thine estate arne voided thou thinkest fallen in soch misery that gladnesse of thy pursute woll not on thee discend Certes qd I that is soth right soch thought is in mine herte for commonly it is spoken and for an old Prouerb it is ledged * He that heweth to hie with chips he may lese his sight Wherefore I haue been about in all that euer I might to study ways of remedy by one side or by an other Now qd she God forbede ere thou seek any other doings but soch as I haue learned thee in our resting whiles and such hearbes as been planted in our Gardens Thou shalt well vnderstand that aboue man is but one God alone How qd I han men to forne this time trusted in writs and chauntements and in helps of Spirites that dwellen in the air and thereby they han getten their desires where as first for all his manly power he daunced behind O qd she fie on soch matters for truely that is sacrilege and that shall haue no sort

I am yong and can yet but creep this leud A b c haue I set into learning for I can not passen the telling of three as yet and if God will in short time I shall amend this leudnesse in joyning of syllables which thing for dulnesse of wit I may not in three letters declare For trewly I say the goodnesse of my Margarite pearle would yeue matter enditing to many Clerks Certes her mercy is more to me swetter than any liuings wherefore my lips mowen not suffice in speaking of her full laud and worship as they shuld But who is that in knowing of the orders of Heauen and putteth his reasons in the earth I forsooth may not with blere eyen the shining Sun of vertue in bright whele of this Margarite behold therefore as yet I may her not discriue in vertue as I would In time coming in another treatise thorow goddes grace this Sunne cleerenesse of vertue to be know and how she enlumineth all this day I think to declare IN this meane while this comfortable lady gan sing a wounder mater of enditing in Latine but trewly the noble colours in Rhetorike wise knit were so craftely that my conning woll not stretche to remembre but the sentence I trowe somedele haue I in minde Certes they were wonder sweete of sowne and they were touched all in lamentacion wise and by no werbelles of mirth Lo thus gan she sing in Latine as I may constrew it in our English tongue Alas that these heuenly bodies their light and course shewen as nature yaue hem in commaundement at the ginning of the first age but these things in free choise of reason han none vnderstanding but man that ought to passe all thing of doing of right course in kind ouerwhelmed soothnesse by wrongfull title and hath drawen the Sterre of enuie to gone by his side that the ciypes of me that should be his shinand Sun so oft is sey that it wened thilk error thorow hem come in should been mine own default Trewely therefore I haue me withdraw and made my dwelling out of land in an yle by my self in the Occian closed and yet sayn there many they haue me harberowed but God wote they faylen These things me greuen to think and namely on paised gladnesse that in this world was wont me disport of high and low and now it is failed they that wolden maistries me haue in thilk stounds in heauen on high aboue Saturns sphere in seasonable time were they lodged but now come queint counsailours that in no house woll suffre me sojourn whereof is pitee And yet sain some that they me haue in celler with wine shet in garnere there corne is laid couered with wheat in sack sowed with woll in purse with money fast knit among pans mouled in a wiche in presse among clothes laid with rich pelure araied in stable among horse and other beasts as hogs sheep and nete and in other maner wise But thou maker of light in winking of thine eye the sun is queint wost right well that I in true name was never thus herberowed Sometime toforn the sun in the seuenth party was smiten I bare both crosse mitre to yeue it where I would With me the Pope went a foot I tho was worshipped of al holy church kings baden me their crowns holden * The law was set as it shuld to fore the judg as wel the poor durst shew his grefe as the rich for all his money I defended tho tailages was ready for the poor to pay I made great feasts in my time and noble songs maried damosels of gentill feture withouten gold or other richesse Poor Clerks for wit of school I set in churches and made soch persons to preach and tho was seruice in holy churches honest and deuout in pleasaunce both of God and of the people But now the leud for simony is auaunted shendeth all holy church * Now is steward for his achates now is courtior for his debates now is eschetour for his wrongs now is losel for his songs personer and prouendre alone with which many thrifty should encrease And yet is this shrew bebind * Free hert is forsake and losengeour is take Lo it accordeth for such there been that voluntary lusts haunten in court with ribaudry That till midnight and more woll play and wake but in the Church at matins he is behind for euill disposicion of his stomake therefore he shuld eat bean bred and so did his sire his estate therewith to strengthen His alter is broke and low lithe in point to gone to y● yearth but his horse must been easie and hie to hear him ouer great waters His chalice poor but he hath rich cups No towayl but a sheet there God shall been handled and on his meat borde there shall been borde clothes and towelles many pair At masse serueth but a clergion fiue squiers in hall Poor chauncel open holes in euery side beds of silk with tapites going all about his chambre Poor masse book leud chapelain and broken Surplice with many an hole good hounds and many to hunt after Hart and Hare to feed in their feests Of poor men haue they great care for they euer craue and nothing offren they wolden haue hem doluen But among legystres there dare I not come my doing they sain maken hem needy they ne wold for nothing haue me in town for then were tort and forth naught worth an haw about and pleasen no men but thilk greeuous and torcious been in might and in doing these things toforn said mow well if men list ryme trewly they accord nothing And for as moch as all things by me shulden of right ben gouerned I am sory to see y● gouernance faileth as thus To seen smal and low gouern the hie bodies aboue Certes that polisie is nought it is forbode by them that of gouernance treaten and enformen * And right as beastly wit should been subject to reason so earthly power in it self the lower should been subject to the hier What is worth thy body but it be gouerned with thy soul right so litel or nought is worth earthly power but if regnatife prudence in heeds gouern the smal to which heeds the smal owen to obey and suffre in their gouernance But soueraignesse ayenward should think in this wise I am seruant of these creatures to me deliuered not Lord but defendor not Maister but enformer not possessor but in possession and to hem lich a tree in which sparows shullen stelen her birdes to nourish and foorth bring vnder suerty ayenst all reueinous fouls and beasts and not to be tyrant themself And then the smal in rest and quiet by the heeds well disposed owen for their souerains health and prosperite to pray and in other doings in maintenance thereof perform withouten other administracion in rule of any manner gouernance And they wit haue in hem and grace to come to soch things yet should they

hold thilk grauel as for a while that ayen lightly mowe not it tourn and if the piles ben true the grauel and sand wol abide And certes full warning in loue shalt thou neuer through hem get ne couer that lightly with an ebbe ere thou beware it will ayen meue * In riches many men have had tenes diseases w ch they should not haue had if therof they had failed Through which now declared partly it is shewed that for riches should the knot in heart neither been caused in one ne in other truly knot may been knit and I trow more stedfast in loue though richesse failed and els in richesse is the knot and not in heart And then such a knot is false when the sea ebbeth and withdraweth the grauell that suche richesse voydeth thilke knotte woll vnknit Wherefore no trust no waye no cause no parfite beeing is in richesse of no suche knotte therefore another way must wee haue HOnour in dignity is wened to yeuen ● full knotte Ye certes qd I and of that opinion ben many for they sayne dignity with honour and reuerence causen herts to encheinen and so abled to knit togither for the excellence in souerainty of such degrees Now qd she if dignity honour and reuerence causen thilke knot in heart this knot is good profitable For euery cause of a cause is cause of thing caused Then thus good things profitable ben by dignity honour and reuerence caused Ergo they accorden dignities been good with reuerences and honour but contraries mowen not accorden wherefore by reason there should no dignity no reuerence none honor accord with shrews but that is false They haue beene cause to shrewes in many shreuduesse for wyth hem they accorden Ergo from beginning to argue ayenward till it come to the last conclusion they are not cause of the knot Lo all day at eie arne shrewes not in reuerence in honour in dignity Yes forsooth rather than the good Then followeth it y● shrewes rather than good shul ben cause of this knot But of thys contrary of all louers is beleeue for a soth openly determined to hold Now qd I faine would I heare how such dignities accorden with shrewes O qd she that woll I shewe in manyfolde wise Ye wene qd she that dignities of office here in your City is as the Sunne it shineth bright withouten any cloud whyche thyng when they commen in y● hands of malicious tyraunts there commeth muche harme and more greuaunce thereof than of y● wild fire though it brende all a streete Certes in dignity of office y● werks of y● occupier shewen the mallice and the badnesse in the persone with shrewes they maken manifolde harmes and muche people shamen How often han rancours for mallice of y● gouernour shoulde been maintained Hath not then such dignities caused debate rumours euils Yes God wote by such thynges haue been trusted to make mennes vnderstandyng encline to many queint thyngs Thou wotest wel what I meane Ye qd I therefore as dignity such thyng in tene ywrought so ayenwarde the substaunce in dignity chaunged relyed to bryng ayen good plite in doyng Do waye do waye qd she if it so betide but y● is selde y● such dignity is betake in a good mannes gouernaunce What thing is to recken in y● dignities goodnesse Parde the bounty and goodnesse is hers that vsen it in good gouernaunce therefore commeth it that honour and reuerence should been doen into dignity because of encreasing vertue in y● occupyer and not to the ruler because of soueraignety in dignity Sithen dignity may no vertue cause who is worthy worship for such goodnesse Not dignity but persone that maketh goodnesse in dignity to shine This is woonder thing qd I for me thinketh as the persone in dignity is worthye honour for goodnesse so tho a persone for hadnesse maugre hath deserued yet the dignity le●eth to be commended Let be qd she thou errest ryght foule dignity with hadnesse is helper to performe the fello● us doyng parde were it kindely good or any property of kindely vertue hadden in hemselfe shrewes should hem neuer haue with hem should they neuer accord Water fire that been contrarious mowen not togider been assembled kind woll not suffer such contraries to ioyne And sithen at eye by experience in doing we seen y● shrewes haue hem more often than good men siker mayest thou be that kindely good in such things is not appropred Parde were they kindly good as well one as other shoulden euenlich in vertue of gouernaunce ben worth but one faileth in goodnesse another doth the contrary and so it sheweth kindely goodnesse in dignity not be grounded And this same reason qd she may be made in generall on all y● bodily goods for they commen oft to throw out shrewes After this he is strong y● hath might to haue great burthens he is light and swift that hath soueraignty in ronning to passe other right so he is a shrew on whom shreude thinges and bad han most werching And right as Phylosophy maketh Philosophiers and my seruice maketh louers ryght so if dignities weren good or vertuous they should maken shrewes good and tourne her mallice and make hem be vertuous but that doe they not as it is prooued but causen rancour and debate Ergo they be not good but vtterly bad Had Nero neuer been Emperor should neuer his dame haue be slaine to maken open the priuity of his engendrure Herodes for his dignity slewe manye children The dignity of king Iohn would haue destroyed all England Therefore mokell wisedome goodnesse both needeth in a person the mallice in dignity s●ily to bridle and with a good bitte of areste to withdraw in case it would praunce otherwise than it should truly yee yeue to dignities wrongfull names in your cleping They should hete not dignity but monster of badnesse and mainteiner of shrewes Parde shine the Sunne neuer so bright and it bring forth no heat ne seasonably the hearbes out bring of the yearth but suffer frosts and cold and th earth barraine to ligge by time of his compasse in circuit about ye would wonder and dispreise that Sunne It the Moon be at full and sheweth no light but darke dimme to your sight appereth and make destruction of the waters woll ye not suppose it be vnder cloud or in clips And that some priuy thing vnknown to your wits is cause of such contrarious doing Then if clerks y● han full insight knowing of such impediments enform you of the sooth very ideots ye been but if ye yeuen credence to thilk clerks words And yet it dooth me te●e to seen many wretches rejoycen in such many Planets Truly little con they on Philosophy or els on my lore that any desire haven such lighting Planets in that wise any more to shew Good Lady qd I tell ye me how ye mean in these things Lo qd she the dignities of your citty Sunne and

and beauty of hearbes of yearth The same years maketh springes jolity in Vere so to renouel with painted colours that earth seemed as gay as heauen Sees that blasteth with wawes throweth shippes of which y● liuing creatures for great perill of hem dreden right so the same sees maketh smooth waters and golden sayling and comforteth hem with noble hauen that first were so ferde Hast thou not qd she learned in thy youth * That Iupiter hath in his wardrobe both garments of joy of sorrow What wost thou how soon he woll turne of thee that garment of care and clothe thee in bliss Parde it is not ferre fro thee Lo an old prouerb alleadged by many wise * When bale is greatest then is bote a nie bore * Wherof wilt thou dismay Hope well serue well and that shall thee saue with thy good bileue Ye ye qd I yet see I not by reason how this bliss is comming I wote it is contingent it may fall another O qd she I haue mokell to done to clear thine vnderstanding void these errours out of thy mind I woll proue it by reason thy wo may not alway enduren Euery thing kindly qd she is gouerned ruled by the heuenly bodies which hauen full werching here on earth and after course of these bodies all course of your doings here been gouerned and ruled by kind Thou wost well by course of planets all your dayes proceeden to euerich of singular houres be enterchaunged stoundmele about by submitted worching naturally to suffer of whyche chaunges cometh these transitory times that maketh reuoluing of your yeares thus stoundmele euery hath full might of worching till all seuen han had her course about Of which worchings and possession of hours the days of y● week haue take her names after denomination in these seuen planets Lo your sunday ginneth at y● first hour after noon on y● saturday in which hour is then the sunne in ful might of worching of whom sunday taketh his name Next him followeth Venus after Mercurius then the Moon so then Saturnus after whom Iouis then Mars and ayen then the Sunne and so forth be xxiiii houres togider in which hour ginning in the ii day stant the Moone as maister for y● time to rule of whom Munday taketh his name this course followeth of all other days generally in doing This course of nature of these bodies changing stinten at a certain term limitted by their first kind and of hem all gouernments in this elemented world proceden as in springs constellations engendrures all y● followen kind reason wherefore the course that followeth sorrowe and joye kindely moten enterchaungen their times so that alway one wele as alway one wo may not endure Thus seest thou apertly thy sorow into wele mote been changed wherfore in such case to better side euermore encline thou shouldest * Truly next the end of sorrow anone entreth joy by manner of necessity it woll ne may none other betide so thy contigence is disproued if thou hold this opinion any more thy wit is right leud Wherefore in full conclusion of al this thilk Margarit thou desirest hath ben to thee dere in thy hert for her hast thou suffered many thoughtfull diseases hereafter shall be cause of mokell mirth and joy and look how glad canst thou beene and cease all thy passed heavinesse with manifold joyes then woll I as blithely here thee speaken thy mirths in joy as I now haue yheard thy sorowes thy complaints And if I mowe in aught thy joy encrease by my trouth on my side shall nat be leaued for no manner trauaile y● I with all my mights right blithely woll helpe euer been ready you both to please And then thanked I that lady with all goodly manner that I worthely coud and truly I was greatly rejoiced in mine heart of her faire behests and profered me to be slaw in all that she me would ordain while my life lested ME thinketh qd I that ye haue right well declared that way to the knot should not beene in none of these disproovyng things and now order of our purpose this asketh that ye should me shew if any way be thither and which thilke way should been so that openly may be sey the very high way in full confusion of these other things Thou shalt qd she vnderstand that one of three liues as I first said euery creature of mankind is sprongen so forth proceedeth These liues been thorow names departed in threee manner of kinds as bestiallich manlich reasonabliche of which two been vsed by fleshly body the third by his soul Bestial among reasonables is forboden in euery law and euery seet both in Christen and other for euery wight dispiseth hem y● liueth by lusts delites as him that is thrall and bounden servaunt to thynges ryght foule such beene compted werse than men he shall nat in their degree been reckened ne for such one allowed Heriticks saine they chosen life bestiall that voluptuously liuen so that as I first said to thee in manly and reasonable liuyngs our matter was to declare but manlye life in lyving after flesh or els fleshly wayes to chese may nat blisse in this knot be conquered as by reason it is proved Wherefore by reasonable life he must needs it haue sith a way is to this knot but nat by the first tway liues wherefore needs mote it been to the third and for to liue in flesh but nat after flesh is more reasonablich than manlych rekened by clerkes Therefore how this way commeth in I woll it blithly declare See now qd she that these bodily goods of manlich liuings yeelden sorrowfully stounds and smertand hours Who so well remember him to their ends in their worchings they ben thoughtfull and sorry Right as a bee y● hath had his honey anone at his flight beginneth to sting So thilke bodily goods at the last mote away and then sting they at her going wherethrough entreth and clean voideth all blisse of this knot Forsooth qd I. me thinketh I am well served in shewing of these words Although I had little in respect among other great and worthy yet had I a fair parcel as me thoght for y● time in forthering of my sustenaunce which while it dured I thought me hauyng mokell honey to mine estate I had richesse sufficiauntly to weiue neede I had dignity to be reuerenced in worship Power me thought that I had to keep fro mine enemies and me seemed to shine in glory of renome as manhood asketh in mean for no wight in mine administration coud none euils ne trechery by soth cause on me put Lady your selue weten well y● of tho confederacies maked by my soveraigns I nas but a seruaunt yet mokell meane folke woll fullye ayenst reason thilke matters mainteine in which maintenaunce glorien themself and as often ye hauen said thereof ought nothing

processe of growing with thy good travail it shall into more and more wex till it be found so mighty that winds of euil speech ne scornes of enuy make nat the trauail ouerthrow ne frosts of mistrust ne hailes of jelousie right little might haue in harming of such springs Euery yong setling lightly with smal storms is apeired but when it is woxen somdele in greatnesse then han great blastes and weathers but little might any disauantage to hem for to werch Mine owne soueraigne lady qd I welth of mine hert it were liking vnto your noble grace therethrough nat to be displeased I suppose ye erren now ye maken jelousie envy distourbour to hem that ben your seruaunts I haue learned oft toforn this time that in euery louers hert great plenty of jelousies greeues ben sow wherefore me thinketh ye ne ought in no manner accompt thilk thing among these other welked winers venomous serpents as enuy mistrust euil speech O fool qd she mistrust with foly with euil wil medled engendreth the welked padde Truly if they were destroyed jelousie vndone were for euer yet some manner of jelousie I wot well is euer redy in all the hearts of my trew seruaunts as thus to be jealous ouer himself least he be cause of his own disease This jealousie in full thought euer should be kept for ferdnesse to lese his loue by miskeping thorow his own doing in leudnes or els thus Least she that thou seruest so feruently is beset there her better liketh that of all thy good seruice she counteth nat a cresse These jealousies in heart for acceptable qualities ben deemed these oughten euery true louer by kindly euermore hauen in his mind till fully that grace and blisse of my seruice be on him discended at will And he that then jelousie catcheth or els by wening of his own foolish wilfulness mistrusteth truly with fantasie of venime he is foule beguiled Euil wil hath grounded thilk matter of sorrow in his leud soul yet nat for then to euery wight shuld me not trust ne euery wight should me not trust ne euery wightfully misbeleeue the mean of these things owen to be vsed * Soothly withouten causeful euidence mistrust in jealousie should not be wened in no wise person commonly such leud wickednes should me nat find * He that is wise with euil will nat be acomered can abide wel his time til grace bliss of his seruice following haue him so mokel eased as his abiding tofore hand hath him diseased Certes lady qd I tho of nothing me wondreth sithen thilk bliss so precious is kindly good well is and worthy in kind when it is medled with loue reason as ye toforn haue declared Why anon as hie one is sprong why springeth not the tother anone as the one commeth why receiueth not the other For euery thing that is out of his kindly place by full appetite euer commeth thiderward kindly to draw his kindly being thereto him constraineth And the kindly stede of this bliss is in such will medled to vnbide needs in that it should haue his kindely being Wherfore me thinketh anon as that wil to be shewed kind him profereth thilk bliss shuld him hie thilk will to receiue or els kind of goodnes worchen not in hem as they shuld Lo be the sun neuer so ferre euer it hath his kind werching in earth great weight on hye on loft caried stinteth neuer till it come to this resting place Waters to the seaward euer ben they drawing thing that is light blithely will not sink but euer ascendeth and upward draweth Thus kind in euery thing his kindly course his being place sheweth Wherfore be kind on this good will anone as it were sprong this blisse should thereon discend her kind would they dwelleden togider so haue ye said your self Certes qd she thine heart sitteth wonder sore this bliss for to haue thine heart is sore agreeued that it tarrieth so long and if thou durstest as me thinketh by thine words this blisse wouldest thou blame But yet I say thilke blisse is kindly good and his kindly place in the will to vnbide Neuer the later there comming togider after kinds ordinaunce nat sodainly may betide it must abide time as kind yeueth him leue for if a man as this will medled gon him shew and thilke blisse in hast folowed so lightly coming should lightly cause going long time of thrusting causeth drink to be the more delicious when it is atasted How is it qd I then that so many blisses see I all day at mine eye in the first moment of a sight with such will accord Yea and yet other while with will assenteth singularly by himself there reason faileth trauail was none seruice had no time This is a queint manner thing how such doing commeth about O qd she that is thus the earth kindely after seasons and times of the year bringeth forth innumerable herbs and trees both profitable and other but such as men might leaue tho they were nought in nourishing to mans kind seruen or els such as tournen soone vnto mens confusion in ease that thereof they atast commen foorth out of the earth by their own kind withouten any mans cure or any businesse in traueil thilk herbs y● to mens liuelode necessarily seruen without which goodly in this life creatures mowen not enduren most ben nourishen to mankind without great trauail great tilth and long abiding time commen not out of the earth and it with seed toforn ordained such herbs to make spring forth grow Right so the parfit blisse y● we haue in meaning of during time to abide may nat come so lightly but with great traueile and right busie tilth and yet good seed to be sow for oft the crop faileth of bad seed be it neuer so well traueiled And thilk blisse thou spoke of so lightly in comming truly is nat necessary ne abiding and but it the better be stamped and the venomous jeuse out wrongen it is likely to enpoysonen all tho that thereof tasten Certes right bitter been the herbs that shewen first the year of her own kind Well the more is the haruest that yeeldest many grains tho long and sore it hath been trauailed What woldest thou demen if a man wold yeue three quarters of nobles of gold that were a precious gift Ye certes qd I. And what qd she three quarters full of pearls Certes qd I that were a rich gift And what qd she of as mokell azure Qd. I a precious gift at full Were not qd she a noble gift of all these at ones In good faith qd I for wanting of English naming of so noble a word I cannot for preciousnesse yeue it a name Rightfully qd she hast thou deemed yet loue knit in vertue passeth al y● gold in this earth Good will accordant to reason with no manner property may be counteruailed all the azure in the

greuaunce Hence fro me hence that me for to endite Halpe aye here afore O ye muses nine Whilom ye were wont to be mine a●d light My penne to direct my braine to illumine No lenger alas may I sewe your doctrine The fresh lustie metres that I wont to make Haue been here afore I vtterly forsake Come hither thou Hermes ye furies all Which fer ben vnder vs nigh y● nether pole Where Pluto reigneth O king infernall Send out thine arpies send anguish dole Miserie and wo leaue ye me not sole Of right be present must pain eke turment The pale death beseemeth not to be absent To me now I call all this lothsome sort My pains tencrease my sorows to augment For worthie I am to be bare of all comfort Thus sith I haue consumed and mispent Not only my days but my 5 fold talent That my lord committed me I can't recompence I may not too derely abie my negligence By the path of penaunce yet woll I reuert To the well of grace mercy there to fetch * Despisest not God the meeke contrite hert Of the cock crow alas y● I would not retch And yet it is not late in the second wetch Mercy shall I purchase by incessaunt crying The mercies of our lord euer shall I sing But well maist thou wail wicked woman That thou shuldest deceiue thus any innocent And in recompence of my sinne so as I can To al men wol I make leue this monument In shewing part of thy falshed is mine entent For all were too much I cannot well I wote The cause sheweth plainly he that thus wrote * If all the yearth were parchment scribable Speedie for the hand and all manner wood Were hewed and proportioned to pens able All water inke in damme or in flood Euery man being a parfit Scribe and good The cursednesse yet and deceit of women Coud not he shewed by the meane of pen. I flie all odious resemblaunces The deuils brond call women I might Whereby man is encensed to mischaunces Or a stinking rose that faire is in sight Or deadly empoyson like y● sugar white * Which by his sweetnesse causeth man to tast And sodainly sleeth bringeth him to his last It is not my manner to vse such language But this my doctrine as I may lawfully I woll holly ground with authoritie sage Willing both wisedome and vertue edifie * Wine and women into apostasie Cause wisemen to fall what is that to say Of wisedome cause them to forget the way Wherefore the wiseman doth thee aduise In whose words can be found no leasing With the straunger to sit in no wise Which is not thy wife fall not in clipping With her but beware eke of her kissing Keep with her in wine no altercation Least that thine hert fall by inclination May a man thinkest hide and safe lay Fire in his bosome without empairement And brenning of his clothes or whider he may Walke on hote coles his feet not brent As who saith nay and whereby is ment This foresaid prouerbe and similitude But that thou ridde thee plainly to denude From the flatterers forgetting her gide The gide of her youth I mean shamefastnes Which shuld cause her maidenhead to abide Her gods behest eke she full recheles Not retching committeth it to forgetfulnes * Neither God ne shame in her hauing place Needs must such a woman lacke grace And all that neigh her in way of sinne To tourne of grace shall lacke the influence The pathes of life no more to come in Wherefore first friend thee with Sapience Remembring God and after with Prudence To thine owne weale that they thee keepe Vnto thine hert least her words creepe In his book where I take my most ground And in his prouerbes sage Salomon Telleth a tale which is plainly found In the fifth chapiter whider in deed don Or meekely feined to our instruction Let clerkes determine but this am I sure Much like thing I haue had in vre At my window saith he I looked out Fair yong people where I saw many Among hem all as I looked about To a yong man fortuned I lent mine eye Estraunged from his mind it was likely By the street at a corner nigh his own hous He went about with eye right curious When that the day his light gan withdraw And the night approched in the twilight How a woman came and met him I saw Talking with him vnder shade of the night Now blessed be God qd she of his might Which hath fulfilled mine hearts desire Assaked my paines which were hote as fire And yet mine authour as it is skill To follow I must tell her arrayment She was full nice soules like to spill As nice in countenaunce yet as in garment For jangling she was of rest impatient Wandring still in no place she stode But restlesse now and now out she yode Now in the house now in the strete Now at a corner she standeth in await Incessauntly busie her pray for to gete To bring to the lure whom she doth lait Now where I left vnto my matter strait I woll tourne againe how she him mette Sweetly kissed and friendly hem grette With words of curtesie many and diuerse Right as in part I haue before told Now as I can I purpose to reherse How she flattering said with visage bold I haue made vowes and offerings manifold For thy sake O mine hert O my loue dere This day I thanke God all performed were Therefore I came out made thus astart Very desirous your welfare to see Now I haue seene you pleased is mine hert In faith shall none haue my loue but ye As true as I am to you be to me I pray you hertely dere hert come home No man should be to me so welcome And in good faith the sooth for to say Your comming to me ran in my thought Herke in your eare my bed fresh and gay I haue behanged with tapettes new bought From Egipt from far countries brought Steined with many a lustie fresh hue Exceeding gold or Iasper in value My chamber is strowed with mirre insence With sote sauoring aloes with sinamome Breathing an Aromatike redolence Surmounting Olibane in any mans dome Ye shall betweene my breasts rest if ye come Let vs haue our desired halsing For we may safe be till in the morning Mine husband is not at home he is went Forth in his journey a farre way hence A bagge with money he hath with him hent As him thought needfull for his expence Vnto my word giue faith and credence Now is the Moone yong and of light dull Ere he come home it woll be at the full Thus craftely hath she him besette With her lime roddes panter and snare The selie soule caught in her nette Of her sugred mouth alas nothing ware Thus is he left gracelesse and bare Of helpe comfort and ghostly succour And furthermore as saith mine authour As a beast led to

statute bid thee pray for them that may The xviii statute holy to commend To please thy lady is that thou eschew With sluttishnesse thy selfe for to offend Be jollife fresh and fete with things new Courtly with manner this is all thy due * Gentill of port and louing cleanlinesse This is the thing that liketh thy maistresse And not to wander liche a dulled Asse Ragged and torne disguised in array Ribaud in speech or out of measure passe Thy bound exceeding thinke on this alway * For women been of tender hearts aye And lightly set their pleasure in a place When they misthinke they lightly let it passe The xix statute meat and drinke forgete Ech other day see that thou fast for loue * For in the court they liue withouten mete Saue such as cometh from Venus all aboue They take none hede in pain of great reproue Of meat and drinke for that is all in vaine Onely they liue by sight of their soueraine The xx statute last of euerychone Enroll it in thyne herts priuitee To wring waile to turne sigh grone When that thy lady absent is from thee And eke renew the words all that she Between you twain hath said all the chere That thee hath made thy liues lady dere And see thine hert in quiet ne in rest Sojourne till time thou seene thy Lady eft But where she won by south or east or west With all thy force now see it be not left Be diligent till time thy life be reft In that thou mayest thy lady for to see This statute was of old antiquitee An officer of high authority Cleped Rigour made vs to swere anone He nas corrupt with partiality Fauour prayer ne gold that clerely shone Ye shall qd he now sweren here echone Yong and old to kepe in that they may The statutes truly all after this day O God thought I hard is to make this oth But to my power shall I them obserue In all this world nas matter halfe so loth To sweare for all for though my body sterue I have no might them hole to obserue But herken now the case how it befell After my oth was made the troth to tell I tourned leaues looking on this booke Where other statutes were of women shene And right forthwith Rigour on me gan looke Full angerly and sayed vnto the queene I traitour was and charged me let been There may no man qd he the starute know That long to women hie degree ne low In secret wise they kepten been full close They soune echone to liberty my friend Pleasaunt they be to their owne purpose There wote no wight of them but God and fiend Ne naught shall wit vnto the worlds end The queen hath yeue me charge in pain to die Neuer to rede ne seene them with myne eie * For men shall not so nere of counsaile bene With womanhood ne knowen of her guise Ne with they think ne of their wit then giue I me report to Salomon the wise And mighty Sampson which beguiled thrise With Dalida was he wote that in a throw There may no man statute of women know * For it perauenture may right so befall That they be bound by nature to deceiue And spinne weep and sugre strew on gall The hert of man to rauish and to reiue And whet their tongue as sharp as swerde or gleue It may betide this is their ordinance So must they lowly doen their obseruaunce And keepe the statute yeuen them of kind Of such as loue hath yeue hem in their life * Men may not wete why turneth euery wind Nor waxen wise nor been inquisitife To know secret of maid widow or wife For theytheir statutes haue to them reserued And neuer man to know them hath deserued Now dresse you forth the God of loue you guide Qd. Rigour then seek the temple bright Of Cithera goddesse here beside Beseech her by influence and might Of all her vertue you to teach aright How for to serue your ladies and to please Ye that been sped and set your hert in ease And ye that ben vnpurueyed pray her eke Comfort you soone with grace and destiny That ye may set your hert there ye may like In such a place that it to loue may be Honour and worship and felicity To you for aye now goeth by one assent Graunt mercy sir qd we and forth we went Deuoutly soft and easie pace to see Venus the goddesse Image all of gold And there we found a thousand on their knee Some fresh and faire some deadly to behold In sundry Mantils new and some were old Some painted were with flames red as fire Outward to shew their inward hote desire With dolefull chere ful fell in their complaint Cried Lady Venus rew vpon our sore Receiue our bils with teares all bedreint We may not weepe there is no more in store But wo and pain vs fretteth more and more Thou blisseful Planet louers sterre so shene Haue routh on vs that sigh carefull bene And punish Lady greuously we pray The false vntrue with counterfeit pleasaunce That made their oth be true to liue or dey With chere assured with countenaunce And falsely now they footen loues daunce Barraine of routh vntrue of that they saied Now that their lust and pleasure is alaied Yet eft againe a thousand million Rejoycing loue leading their life in blisse They sayd Venus redresse of all diuision Goddesse eternell thy name Ihired is By loues bond is knit all thing iwis Beast vnto beast the yearth to water wan Bird vnto bird and woman vnto man This is the life of joy that we been in Resembling life of heauenly paradise * Loue is exiler aye of vice and sinne Loue maketh herts lusty to deuise Honour and grace haue they in euery wise That been to loues law obedient Loue maketh folke benigne and diligent * Aye stering them to drede vice and shame In their degree it maketh them honourable And sweet it is of loue to beare the name So that his loue be faithfull true and stable Loue pruneth him to semen amiable Loue hath no faut there it is erercised But sole with them that have all loue dispised Honour to thee celestiall and clere Goddesse of Loue and to thy celsitude That yeuest vs light so fer doun from thy spere Piercing our hearts with thy pulcritude Comparison none of similitude May to thy grace be made in no degree That hast vs set with Loue in vnitie Great cause haue we to praise thy name thee For thorough thee we liue in joy and blisse Blessed be thou most soueraine to see Thy holy court of gladnesse may not misse * A thousand sith we may rejoyce in this That we ben thine with hert and all yfere Enflamed with thy grace and heauenly fere Musing of tho that spaken in this wise I me bethought in my remembraunce Mine orizon right goodly to deuise And pleasauntly with herts obeisaunce Beseech

prouidence hath no fauour Farewell wisedome and farewell discretion For lacke onely of supportation For vnsupported with his lockes hore Amphiorax sighen gan full sore With hed enclined many an heuy thought When y● he saw his counsail s●ood for nought For vtterly the Greekes as I told Haue fully cast her journey for to yhold Made hem ready and gonne for to hostey Toward Thebes the city for to werrey And in Greece will no lenger tarry And forth with hem Amphiorax they carry Set in his chaire with a dolefull hert When he wist he might not astert Of his fate the disposition And hosteying into the region Of Ligurge Greekes can approche A sundry lond with many a craggy roche But all the way soothly that they gone For horse ne man water was there none So dry were the valleyes and the pleines For all that yeare they had had no reines But full great drought as made is mention And all the lond searching enuiron The great Mischief that the Greeks had for default of Water They nother found Well ne Riuere Hem to refresh nor water that was clere That they alas no refute ne conne So importable was the shene Sonne So hote on hem in foulds where they ley That for mischeefe men and horse they dey Gaping full dry vpward into the South And some putten her swerdes in her mouth And speare heads in story as it is told Tassuage her thurst with the yron cold And of his life full many one despeired In this mischeefe is home ageine repeired Till on a day worthy Tideus And with him eke the king Campaneus Of purpose rode throughout the countree If they might any water see From coast to coast both ferre and nere Till of fortune they entred an herbere With trees shadowed fro the sunne shene Full of floures and of hearbes grene Wonder holesome of sight and aire Therein a lady that passingly was faire Sitting as tho vnder a Laurer tree And in her armes a little child had she Full gracious of looke and of visage And was also wonder tender of age Sonne of the king borne to succede Called Ligurgus in story as we rede Whose hearts joy and worldly eke disport All his mirth eke pleasance and comfort Was in this child of excellent fairenesse And this lady mirrour of semelinesse All sodainly as she cast vp her sight Vpon his stede saw an armed knight Greatly abashed gan her anon remue But Tideus gan after fast to sue How Tideus complained to the Lady in the Herber for Water And said suster beth nothing dismaied In your selfe displeased nor affraied For we are come onely to this place You to beseech of mercy and of grace Vs to succour in our great need Declaring you how it stand indeed Here fast by almost at hond The worthiest of all Greeks lond Kings Princes be lodged in the field And many other with polax and with shield Which in mischeef perill and great drede For want of water are likely to be dede For there was none of high ne low degree In all our hoast now passed dayes three That dranke alas I except none estate Our fate is so infortunate Praying you of womanly pitee Benignely and graciously to see How of Greece all the cheualry Of her liues stonds in ieopardy That ye would of womanhood tell If ye know any riuer spring or well Specially now in our care Of gentillesse vnto vs declare Lo here is all if ye lust to heare That I will seine mine own suster deare And when this lady inly vertuous The complaint heard of worthy Tideus Of very pity chaungeth chere and hew And in her heart vpon his wo gan rew And full goodly seeing his distresse Said vnto him in all his heauinesse How the Lady courteously taught Tideus to the Well Certes qd she if I were at large Touching this child which I haue in charge I should in hast of all that doth you greue To my power helpe you and releue Onely of routh and of compassion And leue all other occupation Conuey you and be your true guide To a riuer but little here beside But I dare not so much me assure This little child to put in aduenture I am so fearefull from it to depart But for your sake yet I shall doe part My life my death of true affection To prouide for your saluation Tooke the child and leid it in her lap And richely in clothes gan it wrap And couched it among the herbes sote And leid about many an holesome rote And floures eke both blew and rede And supprised with a manere of drede With Tideus forth anon she went As she in trouth that no treason ment And on her wey would neuer dwell Till she him brought to a right faire well And to a riuer of water full habound But who was glad and who was tho jocound But Tideus seeing the riuer Which in all hast sent his messanger To Adrastus and had him not abide But downe descend to the riuer side With all his hoast licour for to haue At this riuer her liues for to saue And they enhasted hem making none abode All at ones to the Riuer rode For to drinke they had so great lust Of appetite for to staunch her thurst And some dranke and found it did hem good And some were so feruent and so wood Vpon the water that in sikernesse Through vndiscreet and hasty greedinesse Out of measure the water so they drinke That they fell dead euen vpon the brinke And some naked into the Riuer runne Only for heat of the Summer Sunne To bathen hem the water was so cold And some also as I haue you told I meane tho that prudent were and wise The water dranke in measurable wise That of the thurst they haue before endured They were refreshed fully and recured And Greekes then of high and low degree For her profite and her commoditee Compasse the riuer Christalin of sight Of one accord they her tents pight To rest hem there in reles of here peine Onely the space of a day or tweine And whiles Grekes vpon the riuer lay This Tideus vpon the same day Full knightly hath done his diligence This yong lady with great reuerence To Adrastus goodly to present At whose comming the king himselfe went Again her she falling doun on knees All thestates tho present and degrees Of Grekes lond absent was not one And in his armes tooke her vp anon Thanking her of her besinesse Of her labour and her kindnesse Behoting her like as he was hold If any thing pleinly that she wold That he may don she should it redy find And also Greekes all the story maketh mind Of thestates being tho present Thanked her with all her holle entent For the freshing done to many a Greke And for her part they behight her eke With her bodies and goods both two What her list commaund hem for to do To be redy partly and not faile And here my Auctour